The Married Men really felt like a one time only Scott Lucas side project when the group released George Lassos The Moon back in 2010. It felt like it would be put behind the Local H front man and he would go back to consistently abusing his eardrums. With the release of The Cruel Summer EP it appears The Married Men are here to stay as it is their fourth release in three years.

The way it was released is pretty interesting; It was released digitally as a 5 song digital EP and as a 7″ record containing the first two songs and three bonus tracks as a downloads. This could very well be a future trend in the way EPs are released; it makes a lot of sense.

As for the music on the EP; “Cruel Summer” is a very interesting take on the Bananarama… umm… “classic.” While it is an odd song to cover, The Married Men add enough punch to the song to warp it their own way and make it interesting. “Never Better” is an unreleased original song that is the clear highlight of the EP with its mellow tone and longing lyrics. Two outtakes from Blood Half Moon are added and are interesting but far from essential. The Kenny Rogers cover “Coward of the County” feels awkward no matter how many times you listen to it, a curious choice for a curious record. Hats off to the group for trying it but it is probably best left as a bonus track on an obscure release.

Key Track: “Never Better”